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About Me

I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations.
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Monday, July 15, 2013

Packed and Ready

Between
visiting my Mom, gathering up everything we needed for our Atlantis
adventure, and cleaning my house in advance of my house sitter, I was
busy every moment. It's a good thing that I'm going on vacation because I
certainly need a rest after all of the work to prepare! After months of
planning and a weekend of preparations, it is hard to imagine that we
will board the plane and start our much anticipated adventure.

Robby
has had a difficult time containing his enthusiasm. He hasn't been bad,
but he has certainly been animated. In order to focus his energies, I
gave him an empty laundry basket and asked him to fill it with
everything he wanted to take on the trip. I should have been more
specific with the directive. After 45 minutes he pushed the overflowing
basket down the hallway, filled with all of his games and science kits,
including only his bathing suit and a pair of pajamas to wear for
clothing. It took us 30 minutes to put all of his treasures back and
replace them with (according to Robby) "boring dumb clothes that are no
fun at all."

With all of the "boring dumb clothes" packed, I
turned my attention to the other various items that we needed to
include. I made a lengthy list, left both boys in front of the XBox and
went out to tackle the mall. It is amazing how many sundries are
necessary when going to a beach vacation. I was just about to
congratulate myself for sticking to my list when something caught my
eye. I stood for several minutes, debating whether or not I should try
it on. The logical side told me to leave it alone, justifying that it
wasn't necessary. The fun side of me wanted to give it a whirl. I broke
down and went into the dressing room.

Although part of me has
always wanted to, I have never worn a bikini. I have struggled with body
image issues for as long as I remember. While I know that my body is
far from ideal, I am finally at a place where I am willing to accept my
flaws. I am never going to have the perfect figure, but I am realizing
that the level of perfection which inundates us on a regular basis is
attainable for few. Instead of always striving to be perfect, I'm trying
to embrace where I am now and to be comfortable in my skin. The bikini
seemed like the perfect test of my new resolve.

I slipped on
the two pieces, took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. I was
surprised by my reaction. I was expecting to be revolted by the image,
but instead I smiled. I don't look like a model, but I don't look
foolish either. I looked confident and happy. This week I am going to
step outside my comfort zone and sport my new bikini at the pool! After
all, if I can sport a carbon fiber leg without giving it a second
thought, I should be able to wear a bikini.

I insisted that all
of our bags be packed and stowed in the car before we went to bed. I
wanted everything ready to go so that we could avoid the last minute
stress that often accompanies a vacation. This morning we are leaving
early, too early if you ask the boys. Our plane leaves at 9, putting our
arrival in the Bahamas at 11:30. I know that they will appreciate the
early departure time when they are enjoying the pools and beach this
afternoon, but that will be little solace in the interim.

I need
to wake them up soon and I know that it will not be a pleasant. In the
meantime, I'm going to enjoy the solitude of the quiet house and sip my
coffee. As soon as the boys are awake, we will be jumping in the car
and our vacation begins. (Can you tell I'm excited?)

In addition
to my regular blog posts, I will be posting photos frequently, so check
back throughout the week. Robby's Nana gave him a waterproof digital
camera which has transformed him into a want-to-be photographer. He has
asked me to share some of his photos on my blog, so you can see what
Atlantis looks like through his eyes.

1 comment:

OMG we are going to be there on the 20th! We are cruising there and will be in Nassau for 24 hours then back on ship for a day at sea. Bringing the whole family 11 of us. Have a great time but I will probably be on the boat with the babies.... my choice!